Natural Resources Defense Council
Natural Resources Defense Council reported $248.9 million in revenue and $212.0 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $75.70 went to program services, $11.58 to management and general costs and $12.72 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 90.6% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $793,129 (PRESIDENT/CEO). 481 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 26% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $212MFor context, the median across 371 covered environment charities: $85.82 programs, $10.80 management, $3.38 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $249MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 75.7% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 11.6% | 10.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 12.7% | 3.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.12 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 90.6% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 1.2% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $793,129 | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.37% | 1.74% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 481 | 7 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 30.5 | 18.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 32 of 32 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseNo description in Part III; see the filing.
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT/CEO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $705,258 | $0 | $87,871 | $793,129 |
| CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $565,736 | $0 | $71,372 | $637,108 |
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $462,310 | $0 | $72,076 | $534,386 |
| CHIEF COUNSEL Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $403,082 | $0 | $69,418 | $472,500 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $385,136 | $0 | $76,466 | $461,602 |
| CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $390,761 | $0 | $56,805 | $447,566 |
| SENIOR RESEARCH SPECIALIST II Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $397,841 | $0 | $46,652 | $444,493 |
| CHIEF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $339,344 | $0 | $62,872 | $402,216 |
481 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Natural Resources Defense Council (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $4.4M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b32 · 32 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2Yes
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5829
- Volunteers Part I, line 65
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| M&R STRATEGIC SERVICES INC Digital advocacy/fundraising consultant | $2,609,471 |
| DIGITAL DOG DIRECT LLC Printing services | $2,129,245 |
| ATRIUM PAYROLL SERVICE LLC Temp services | $1,358,937 |
| CP DIRECT Printing services | $1,147,746 |
| EAGLE HILL CONSULTING LLC Business management consultant | $1,045,977 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 96 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
625 private foundations reported grants to Natural Resources Defense Council totaling $39M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Natural Resources Defense Council's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Natural Resources Defense Council, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Natural Resources Defense Council spent in FY2025, $75.70 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- National Audubon SocietyNew York, NY · revenue $197M · programs 79.7% · FY2025
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Questions people ask
How much of Natural Resources Defense Council's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Natural Resources Defense Council reported that 75.7% of its $212.0 million in expenses went to program services, 11.6% to management and general and 12.7% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Natural Resources Defense Council pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Natural Resources Defense Council reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $793,129, for the role of PRESIDENT/CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Natural Resources Defense Council get its money?
Of $248.9 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 90.6% came from contributions and grants and 1.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Natural Resources Defense Council a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 13-2654926 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202641329349307469 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202541339349309704 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202401349349304565 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202341319349301129 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202231249349302368 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202131329349300728 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 13-2654926: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.